Multi-ply flashing structure



S. H.. COHEN ET AL MULTI-PLY FLASHING STRUCTURE June 18, 1935.

Filed Jan. 22, 1935 Patented June 18, 1935 UNITED STATES 1 2,005,221 norm-rm msnmo smuc'ruaa Samuel H. Cohen, Boston, and Jacob Wasserman, Cambridge, Mass.

Application January 22, 1935, Serial No. 2,914

6 Claims. 72-127) This invention relates to flashing structures such, for example, as are embedded in the mortar seams of the side walls of a building to prevent rain water from seeping through the walls and thus impairing them, the ceilings and floors, or

other parts of the building. It deals more particularly with a multi-ply or composite flashing structure such as is designed to be placed in a mortar seam and be locked or embedded therein with suflicient tenacity to resist shifting forces or dislodgment while avoiding as much as possible weakening of the seam.

In-accordance with the present invention, we provide a multi-ply flashing structure comprising at least three plies, the inner ply of which is substantially impermeable, non-corrodible sheet metal, such as copper, and the outer ones of which are waterproofed fibrous sheet material bonded facially to the surfaces of the inner ply and presenting in their fibrous texture a multiplicity of exposed recesses, preferably occurring with substantial regularity therein, into which the mortar of a wall seam may freely enter and then harden to lock or embed the structure with the desired grip or tenacity in the resulting seam. It is thus seen that the inner ply of such a flashing structure affords the desired perfect waterproof barrier, whereas the outer plies maintain the desired integrality of the structure as a whole with the wall of the building in which it is used. The flashing structure of the present invention is further advantageous in that it can be made at low cost, inasmuch as the non-corrodible sheet metal constituting the inner ply may be used at much lower weight or thickness than ordinarily by reason of the fact that the outer plies give additional strength or reinforcement to the sheet metal, protect it from being marred or fractured even when it is so thin as to be comparatively easily cut, torn, bent, or distorted, and lend thereto resistance to deformation when it is preformed and/or fixed in place in a particular configuration or shape.

While not restricted thereto, the present invention may be advantageously embodied in flashing structures whose outer plies comprise either coarsely woven fibrous material or felted fibrous material prepared as on papermaking or textile machines. In the case of coarsely woven fibrous material, which is reticulated at the very start, the fibrous material is waterproofed and bonded to the inner metallic ply while retaining or preserving in large measure in its exposed face its original reticulated or open coarse- 55 I mesh texture for the purpose of enmeshing mortar, despite the fact that its component threads are preferably adequately coated or protected with suitable waterproofing orwater-repelling material and its inner face is masked by a fllm or thin coating of waterproofing material which 5 also serves as the medium for bonding it to the inner ply. In the case of felted flbrous mate- -rial, which initially presents substantially smooth faces, the fibrous material is preferably first waterproofed, as by impregnation with suitable 10 waterproofing material, and is then put through an embossing or other operation that creates therein localized compressed areas recessed or offset inwardly from its surface to be exposed to mortar and in which mortar may be entrapped 15 in suflicient amount to be welded strongly to the mortar of a wall seam. In order that the felt may be readily embossed or indented to present the desired reticulated fibrous texture for the reception of mortar, it is preferable that it be 20 prepared with adequate compressibility, such as is possessed by highly absorptive paper felt, and that it be waterproofed by a material, such as bitumen, that yields or flows" under pressure.

With the foregoing and other features and ob- 25 jects in view, we shall now describe our invention with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein,-

Figure l is a plan view of a fragment of flashing structure embodying our invention.

Figure 2 is a similar view of another form or embodiment of our invention.

Figures 3 and 4 represent sections on the lines 33 and 4-4 of Figures 1 and 2, respectively.

Figure 5 is a vertical section through a conventional building wall into which our flashing structures may be advantageously incorporated at various localities.

The flashing structure of Figure 3 includes, as shown therein, a substantially impermeable inner ply or membrane I!) to each of whose faces is bonded by a film or thin coating of adhesive I! a coarsely woven fabric H. The inner ply I0 consists of thin, non-corrodible sheet metal, preferably copper foil such as is available on the market as electrolytic or electrodeposited copper. The outer plies ll may be such coarsely woven fabrics as burlap or gunny cloth which present large openings or meshes of substantial depth. In making the composite flashing structure, the fabric II is preferably first treated with waterproofing material in a manner such that substantially all of its yarns acquire a protective or waterproof coating l3 while its openings or meshes H are preserved largely open or unof the waterproofed fabric.

obstructed for the reception of mortar. Thus,

- the fabric may be sprayed with molten asphalt or water-dispersed asphalt of suflicient fluidity to run freely through the openings or meshes while impregnating the yarns and depositing thereon and on its constituent fibers the desired protective films or coatings. Comparable results may also be had by running the fabric through a bath of molten asphalt or water-dispersed asphalt of the appropriate fluidity. Separate plies of such waterproofed but porous fabric may then be adhesively secured to the faces, of the inner ply III, the faces of such inner ply being preferably first treated with molten asphalt or equivalent waterproof adhesive material constituting the film I2 for bonding the fabric to the inner ply. Inasmuch as electrolytic copper foil, such as is preferably used as the inner ply material, can be purchased in roll or continuous sheet form, it is possible to build up the composite flashing structure of the present invention progressively from such continuous sheet and from continuous sheets For instance, the copper foil may be progressively unwound from a parent roll, be progressively sprayed or otherwise thinly coated substantially uniformly with the molten asphalt, and have progressively placed on each of its .coated surfaces a continuous sheet of waterproofed fabric, which may be pressed into the coating while still hot and sticky, as by a pair of rolls, through which the multi-ply sheet may be progressively run. The resulting multi-ply sheet may be cut up into flashing sections of the dimensions desired for use. The coating or film 82 thus masks the inner face of the fabric and bonds it throughout to the inner ply II], but the exposed face of the fabric retains largely its original open coarse-mesh texture and can thus enmesh considerable mortar.

The flashing structure of Figure 4 differs from that of Figure 3 essentially in that its outer fibrous plies I 5 are made up of felted fibers and in that the recessed or reticulated exposed texture presented thereby results from a separate or special operation. The felt may, as already stated, be produced on papermaking or textile machines and have initially a substantially uniform body thickness distinctly greater than the inner metallic ply III of the flashing structure. The felt is rendered weather-resistant, as by impregnation substantially uniformly throughout with asphalt or other suitable waterproofing material. Indeed, the plies l5 may be bituminized felt similar to that sometimes used for roofing and flooring purposes. The impregnated felt may be provided with the desired reticulated surface texture as by an em bossing or other operation performed in such a way as to effect marked localized compression of the felt and to create therein a multiplicity of indented areas 16 distributed preferably with substantial regularity thereover and indented or recessed sufliciently from its outer surface to serve as pockets for catching or entrapping a substantial amount of mortar capable of uniting with a layer of mortar distributed over its surface and thus capable of welding the flashing structure in which it appears inseparably to the mortar layer, that is, with such firmness that the flashing structure cannot be dislodged without severe disruption or breakdown of the mortar layer and/or of the flashing structure itself. The indented waterproofed felt plies l5 are bonded, as are the waterproofed woven fabric plies II, to the inner metallic ply III by films or thin coatings l2 of asphalt or other suitable waterproof adhesive.

Flashing structures embodying our invention are useful generally in the walls of buildings. As illustrated in Figure 5, they may be used in a building wall at such regions as H, where the coping l8 meets the parapet I 9; at 20 where the roof beam 21, the parapet l9, and the window superstructure 2| come together; at 22, just above the window frame; at 23, just below the window frame; and at 24, where the spandrel beam 25 and the floor beam 26 join with the wall. In installing the flashing structures of the present invention in any of such localities, it may be desirable to crimp them to zigzag or checker-board configurations or to impart thereto other suitable longitudinal, transverse, or diagonal crimps or bends designed to promote permanent anchorage in the mortar spread over and under their surfaces for forming the, seams. It will, of course, be appreciated that mortar is invariably used to effect a bond between the stones that go to make up the wall structure and that mortar seams occurring in building walls in which the flashings of the present invention are employed are maintained intact where they contact with the flashing surfaces, whereas, on the other hand, the mortar seams tend to loosen or weaken when they are interrupted by smooth metallic flashing surfaces,

While it is possible to use various waterproofing materials, such as gums and resins, for the purpose of protecting the fibrous plies of the flashing structures of the present invention against weathering influences, nevertheless, asphalt, pitch, tar, or similar bituminous material is advantageous for such purpose in that it has the desired waterproof, adhesive, and other qualities and is sufliciently inexpensive to make for the desired low cost product. We wish again to observe that by virtue of the comparatively low cost of the fibrous plies used inthe multi-ply or composite flashing structures of our invention, it is possible to economize greatly in the amount of copper or other non-corrodible sheet metal put therein and thus to realize an improved article at lowered cost.

We claim:

1. A multi-ply flashing structure adapted to be embedded in a mortar seam and comprising three plies, the inner one being substantially impermeable, non-corrodible sheet metal and the outer ones being waterproofed fibrous sheet material bonded facially to the surfaces of said inner ply and presenting in their flbrous texture a multiplicity of exposed recesses into which the mortar of a seam may enter in substantial amount and harden to lock said structure in such seam.

2. A multi-ply flashing structure adapted to be embedded in a mortar seam and comprising three plies, the inner one being substantially impermeable, non-corrodible sheet metal and the outer ones being bituminized fibrous sheet material bonded by said bitumen facially to the surfaces of said inner ply and presenting in their fibrous texture a multiplicity of exposed recesses into which the mortar of a seam may enter in substantial amount and harden to lock said structure in such seam.

3. A multi-ply flashing structure adapted to be embedded in a mortar seam and comprising three plies, the inner one being substantially impermeable, non-con'odible sheet metal and the outer ones being waterproofed, coarsely woven fibrous material bonded facially to the surfaces of said inner ply and whose inner faces are masked by a bonding film of waterproofing material but whose exposed faces retain in large measure their original, open coarse-mesh texture to enmesh in substantial amount the mortar of a seam.

4. A multi-ply flashing structure adapted to be embedded in a mortar seam and comprising three plies, the inner one being substantially impermeable, non-corrodible sheet metal and the outer ones being bituminized, coarsely woven fibrous material bonded by said bitumen facially to the surfaces of said inner ply and whose inner faces are masked by a bonding film of said bitumen but whose exposed faces retain in large measure their original, open, coarse-mesh texture to enmesh in substantial amount the mortar of a seam.

5. A multi-ply flashing structure adapted to be embedded in a mortar seam and comprising three plies, the inner one being substantially impermeable, non-corrodible sheet metal and the outer ones being waterproofed felted fibrous material bonded facially to the surfaces of said inner ply,

and presenting on their fibrous texture a multiplicity of exposed localized indentations into which the mortar of a seam may enter in substantial amount and harden to lock said structure in such seam.

6. A multi-ply flashing structure adapted to be embedded in a mortar seam and comprising three plies, the inner one being substantially impermeable, non-corrodible sheet metal and the outer ones being bituminized felted fibrous material bonded facially by said bitumen to the surfaces of said inner ply and presenting in their fibrous texture a multiplicity of exposed localized areas recessed from their outer surfaces into which the mortar of a seam may enter in substantial amount and harden to lock said structure in said seam.

SAMUEL H. COHEN. JACOB WASSERMAN. 

